Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for his question—and I am very happy to make Senator Cameron happy: it is a question about jobs in regional Queensland, because that is what our plans are: to create jobs in regional areas all around Australia and in particular in northern Australia, through our northern Australia agenda. A big part of that agenda is to support the resources sector, as the biggest part of the economy in northern Australia. Another big part of it, of course, is to build dams across Australia—to finally have the guts in this nation to build dams, to create wealth, to allow people to grow more food and create jobs.

This week, as part of our northern Australia statement, I was lucky enough to catch up with Phillip Hams, who lives up at GoGo Station up in the West Kimberley and is doing great work up there on the tens of thousands of hectares of black soil that exist on his station. They are putting in centre pivots, they are growing food, and we want to support those types of investments.

Unfortunately we have one state government that is not supporting these programs. Every state government in this nation has signed up with the federal government to deliver water projects throughout this country. We have agreements with Premier Weatherill in South Australia, we have agreements with Premier Andrews in Victoria and we have agreements with other premiers in other states. The one government we do not have an agreement with—

A government senator: Is it a Labor government?

It is a Labor government. Some Labor governments have signed up, but we do not have an agreement with Premier Palaszczuk in Queensland. They spent a week, a couple of weeks ago, in Townsville talking about jobs. It was all talk, no action. All they need to do is sign a piece of paper, and jobs will be created in North Queensland. I must say we even have the Greens on side. The other week, Senator Whish-Wilson responded to an interjection from Senator Williams and said: 'Yes, Senator Williams, including pipelines and dams.' Even Senator Whish-Wilson wants to build dams, but Premier Palaszczuk is holding up jobs in regional Queensland. Sign the document, just like other state governments, and help us create jobs in the bush.